Does this recipe look ok?

[jennyannlowe]

Can you see the pic of the calculator and tell me if it looks ok?

 

[shunt2011]

I personally lower the CO to 20-25% and the castor to 5% up the Shea to 5% and add the difference to the palm.

 

[jennyannlowe]

Ok....here is 2 more variations...either of them look ok?

 

[BlackDog]

I have nothing to offer on your recipe, since I don't use palm or sweet almond oil, however....

If you're not sure if you like a recipe, you may want to consider making a smaller batch than the one you have planned. That's a lot of soap to use if you don't like the end result.

 

[jennyannlowe]

True. I'm a newbie obviously and indecisive and overly cautious. I need to just pick one and go with it. I suppose a beginners recipe is still the best way...no matter how complicated the artist in me wants to be. I taught myself to paint and have been doing so for years. Soap and candles are my new project to learn and true to form...I tend to want to plunge ahead. In painting that can be beneficial. Course this is totally different.

Ok. 4 oil recipe it is. Thanks. Just needed to make my mind up.

 

[newbie]

Not that there is not artistry in the recipe, but I think more artistry is available in working on the appearance of the soap, in whatever way it appeals to you. Simple recipes seem to give the best soap when you factor cost, qualities, storage, and performance of the soap. I agree with Black Dog in saying that I would start with small batches in the 16-28 ounce range instead of over 50 ounces when you are starting out. It will amaze you how fast you accumulate more soap than you can ever use yourself, or more than you can steadily give away!

 

[jennyannlowe]

Makes sense. I'll do that.
I always tend to want to overdo things. It shows in my abstract artwork...I can't just use a couple colors...nope. I gotta use them all. For that WOW factor. Sometimes that part of me is an idiot cause I could have already started on my soap days ago. Instead I've been trying to come up the perfect recipe. Ridiculous. I know.

 

[topofmurrayhill]

Can you see the pic of the calculator and tell me if it looks ok?

Generally the recipes you are proposing are too complicated. Such small amounts of sweet almond oil won't do a lot, but if you want to try it, here is a simpler veggie recipe that should be a decent starting point and easy to make:

25% Coconut Oil
25% Palm Oil
25% Olive Oil
10% Sweet Almond Oil
10% Shea Butter
5% Castor Oil

I'm not sure the castor oil is really needed in this recipe, so you could try it with 15% shea butter, or maybe 12%/3% shea and castor.

I notice one of your proposed recipes includes beef tallow. Again simplifying, recipe above also looks interesting with tallow in place of palm oil.

 

[jennyannlowe]

Aside from people's personal preferences regarding using soap with animal fat......considering only the qualities.... Which do you think has the best effects palm or beef tallow?

 

[doriettefarm]

My skin seems to prefer a lard/tallow soap over palm but your skin could be totally different. Why don't you try the recipe TOMH suggested and make one small batch with palm and another with tallow or lard for comparison purposes? I'd probably drop the coconut to 15-20% and make up the difference with lard/tallow/palm but I'm one of those folks that can't handle too much CO without getting dry and itchy.

 

[dibbles]

It will amaze you how fast you accumulate more soap than you can ever use yourself, or more than you can steadily give away!

This is so true!

 

[The Efficacious Gentleman]

I would start off with the simple

50% Palm/lard/tallow
35% olive
15% co

Then add to it and play with it.

If you don't, you won't know what sweet almond oil at any amount is really bringing to the party. Same with castor - if you make a recipe without it, one with at 5% and one with at 10%, with that being the one and only change that you make, then you can really see what the ingredients actually do.

Starting off with lots of things in there and/or changing more than one thing at a time means that you can't always be sure what is making the difference to your soap or sometimes the two can cancel each other out and you think neither makes a difference.

 

[Susie]

Start with a 3 or 4 oil soap with no scent or color. Then change one thing. Then change one more thing. Keep going one step at the time until you KNOW what each change brings to the soap. You are going to be making lots of soap. Keep really good notes. Even of the failures. I have learned more when I go back to my notes than you would believe.

 

[jennyannlowe]

I definitely see your points. I'm gonna make a simple small recipe this evening. Thanks!